Fish to Families
Addressing food insecurity and loss of seafood markets, caused by COVID 19, through a new food distribution program
San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group, Chef Phillip Esteban and Open Gym have established Fish to Families, a meal distribution program for the food insecure during the COVID-19 crisis. Having served over 2400 meals in the first five weeks, this pilot project provides healthy, tasty, sustainable seafood to people in need while supporting the local hospitality and fishing industries.
The San Diego Foundation, which inspires enduring philanthropy and enables community solutions to improve quality of life in our region, is supporting the initiative through the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund. NOAA Fisheries and California Sea Grant are providing educational materials to inform San Diegans about our sustainable seafood fisheries.
About the Team
San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group
The SDFWG is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. It represents the fishing men and women of the greater San Diego region. It has a nine person Board of Directors, with a director (and alternate) from each of the different fisheries and methods found in our area. Pete Halmay is currently the President of the SDFWG Board of Directors.
Open GYM 501(c)3 dba Craft Meals, LLC.
We take pride in providing locally sourced, hand crafted & chef driven meals to food banks and other outreach programs that want to keep their clients fed nutritious meals.
Open Gym/Craft Meals sources nearly all the fresh produce directly from SoCal farmers and most of the meat and seafood from local ranchers, fishermen, and co-ops. Our relationships with our vendors are paramount, as they are not only mutually beneficial, they enact a positive change in our contemporary food system and community.
The San Diego Foundation
The San Diego Foundation adheres to a deeply ethical approach to philanthropy, one that holds ourselves accountable to being a trustworthy partner and to approaching our work with humility and respect for the expertise of the communities we serve and of the government, nonprofit, business sectors and individuals with whom we collaborate. We will be open-minded, learn constantly, listen carefully to different experiences and different perspectives, build strong and diverse coalitions, support community engagement and engage in shared decision-making.
NOAA
NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep the public informed of the changing environment around them.
Third Avenue Charitable Organization
Third Avenue Charitable Organization, a social ministry born out of First Lutheran Church, provides a safe and welcoming place where healing of mind, body, and spirit can happen for any and all who come. In operation every week of the year, it welcomes all people in need, regardless of religion, for free meals, medical and dental care, and mental health services.
California Sea Grant
California Sea Grant is a collaboration of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the State of California and universities across the state to create knowledge, products and services that benefit the economy, the environment and the citizens of California.
I Love to Glean
I Love to Glean is a non-profit corporation formed for the purpose of partnering with others to facilitate countywide food recovery systems that increase the capacity for recovery and distribution of otherwise wasted food to agencies serving those in need. We work directly with feeding agencies and kitchens who then distribute to end clients.